Page 33 of Sugar Coated Lies
“No rush.” Daire takes in my hair and face again, and his lips tilt with amusement.
He’s laughing at me. Wonderful start to the day.
“Oh, before I forget. Here.” He digs in his pocket and hands me my driver’s license.
“Omigosh, you found it! Thank you so much!”
I tuck the license in my purse, then hurry to the bathroom and finish my makeup but hate how it looks. After washing it off, I add some mascara and lip gloss, then get my clothes from Grandpa’s closet. Jeans and the polo with the pecan farm logo on it, just like Daire’s. Millie gave it to me yesterday. I rolled it up and stuffed it in my purse, so I wouldn’t forget it. Thank God the material doesn’t need to be ironed.
When I enter the kitchen, I find Daire on the old worn couch—where I slept last night—next to Grandpa’s chair with Carol sitting on the other side of Daire. They’re drinking coffee and chatting.
My heart melts at how kind and polite Daire is treating my grandpa and Carol—and at how well he’s handling this odd, certainly unfamiliar to him surroundings and situation.
“How do you know my granddaughter?” Grandpa asks.
At least he knows who I am today.
“We work together, sir.”
I smile at how he doesn’t say he’s my boss, like he knows it’s better to tread lightly.
“What do you do?” Grandpa asks.
“I work at a pecan farm,” Daire answers, downplaying his position.
I can’t believe he’s being so casual while sitting in an old, manufactured home, talking to my equally old grandpa like he does this on a regular basis. I can’t believe Grandpa’s mind is staying sharp. Is it luck that he’s not lost in his past today or is it Daire?
When Grandpa starts talking about parks, birds, pie, and how much he loves them and Daire shares in his excitement, my heart melts more and those tears of joy that often fill my eyes of their own accord make themselves known with a stinging sensation. I’m so practiced at blinking them back, I’m sure no one will notice.
Not wanting to keep Daire here more than necessary, or make Millie start without me, I take the few steps to the living room and make myself known. “I’m ready.”
Daire stands, and his gaze follows the line of my body from my feet to my head. An approving smile forms on his face.
I tug on my shirt. “We match.”
His smile gets bigger. “We do.”
“I’m off to work, Grandpa.” I kiss his cheek. “You keep Carol company for me while I’m gone. I’ll bring you back some goodies when I get home. Okay?”
“Deal.” He nods and lifts a wrinkly finger to Daire when he walks by on his way to me. “Take good care of my girl now.”
“I will, sir. You have my word.”
“That’s a good man,” Grandpa says to Carol as if we’d left already, even though we’re standing in the kitchen a few steps away.
I give Daire my biggest, most appreciative smile and hold the door open for him.
He reaches over my head and places his hand on the door. “After you.”
“Thank you.” We take the three steps down to the gravel driveway. “And thank you for how you treated my grandpa. Usually, people are afraid and just avoid him, not that we get many visitors.”
“It wasn’t a problem at all.” Daire opens the passenger door for me.
“Thanks.” I get in.
He slides behind the wheel, filling up all the space with his big sexy body, and drives us to the farm. We fill the ride with small talk about the weather and the drought. He asks which recipes Millie taught me.
“I learned all of them.”
